A veteran Hanover police officer has been fired after he allegedly was videotaped taking a packet of tanning lotion from a Kingston salon.

William Bostic, 51, was dismissed Friday after an investigation and subsequent civil service hearing held earlier this week, Hanover officials said.

The officials said they could not comment on the case because it is a personnel issue, other than to say that Bostic’s dismissal was “in response to an incident and subsequent communications related to an event at the Soleil Tanning Salon in Kingston on April 26.” A man alleged to be Bostic is seen on surveillance video slipping the packet of lotion into the left front pocket of his jeans.

Advertisement

Bostic, who lives in Pembroke, was a member of the Hanover Police Department for 27 years. He had been on paid administrative leave since May 1. Attempts to reach him for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

Get Fast Forward in your inbox:

Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email.

Sarah Nagle, owner of the Soleil Tanning Salon, said that Bostic and his girlfriend were frequent customers. Nagle said she was tipped off by an employee, Kenzie Reale, that a customer may have stolen something, so she watched surveillance video taken at the time. She said she saw a man she recognized as Bostic put the item, which retails for $6 to $10, into his pocket.

Bostic was summoned to Plymouth District Court for a probable cause hearing May 31; he had not been charged
Friday.

Hanover Police Chief Walter Sweeney could not be reached for comment.

In an interview Friday, Nagle said Bostic’s girlfriend came to see her at the salon after the court hearing and assured her that Bostic did not intentionally steal the lotion, that he just forgot to pay for it. “She asked if there was anything I could do and told me that he might lose his job over this,” Nagle said.

Advertisement

Nagle said she had not heard that Bostic was fired.

Nagle, who owns three tanning salons, called the situation “unfortunate” and questioned why anyone would steal. especially from a small business.

“It’s totally inappropriate,” she said. “As small business owners, we work really hard for our money and the fact that someone feels entitled and just takes something without paying for it . . . that’s just wrong.”